[Official poster from Tanghalang Ateneo]
Ikalabindalawang Gabi, the Filipino adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy by National Artist Rolando S. Tinio, is a Tanghalang Ateneo play worth seeing for the unexpected twist at the very end.
Despite Twelfth Night’s reputation as a grand comedy packed with everything that makes The Bard great fun (bawdy jokes, cross dressing and crosses on yellow stockings, romance among several couples), this mother tongue adaptation is tinged with the twin shadows of death and history.
Tinio was reeling from the loss of his wife and muse, Ella Luansing-Tinio, who tragically passed away in a car accident mere days before the opening of this very same play (Ella had been slated to play Viola). It was the last play ever produced by the CCP and the Metropolitan Theater’s former resident drama company, Teatro Pilipino.
When one keeps this history in mind, the rewritten ending makes sense. Without spoiling anything, suffice it to say that any expected merriment in the English original found melancholy echoes of it in the Filipino adaptation. The ending also recasts the entire play as an ode to love, lust, and life, in stark contrast to the cold finality of death. In truth, it’s not always all well that ends well, and sometimes, love’s labor can indeed be lost. The play is a reminder that death will soon overturn the ship of all our lives. Therefore, sing/love/play on.
This changed ending and necessary shifts in tone would be a challenge to even the most veteran director and cast, and it proved daunting for this student ensemble.
The Sunday matinee show I watched featured a cast with vastly mixed experience levels in performing, and it showed. Compared to the incendiary passion and professional polish of Tanghalang Ateneo’s last production (a Filipino translation of Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s Emilia), this take on Twelfth Night was evidently a student production.
There were a few actors declaiming lines that lacked clarity or conviction, quite often both at the same time. The result was that there were some scenes where I felt confused at times, despite recently having seen the play and being familiar with the plot.
Director Miel Barrera Abong and the actors approach the Tinio/Shakespeare text with what this viewer feels to be too much classical reverence (with the welcome exception of Feste, portrayed by KD San Juan). The result was a show that seemed to drag in some scenes, bowed down by the weight of long Filipino words recited in a manner that seems dated, instead of witty banter bandied about like pickleballs.
Apart from KD San Juan, standouts include Sabel Lamadrid as Viola and Rona Layne Badilla as Maria, as they were the most natural and generous actors, and Bea Villena’s Olivia was also very charming. Badilla spoke her lines most clearly.
The play was strongest in its slapstick scenes, though even then, not all the action landed as strongly as other productions we have seen. The live music (a huge part of any Twelfth Night prod) was fun to watch, especially with live accompaniment by the actors themselves, although one could detect a bit of uncertainty in the performance of some cast members. Whether this lack of conviction stems from the nervousness of opening weekend or inexperience, one hopes that more practice would result in a more confident giving of self for the rest of the succeeding sold-out run.
Perhaps this production of Ikalabindalawang Gabi could have taken greater advantage of its cast’s youth and energy. Tinio himself wrote about how the art form should adapt to its times. To paraphrase a famous quote, resurrecting classic plays is less about preserving honored ashes, and more about fanning eternal flames.
At their best, student productions are brave and fearless examples of artistic heights achieved when sheer idealism and love for the craft combine, unsullied by the cooling influence of commerce. We have seen it many times from Tanghalang Ateneo through the years, most notably in Emilia back in April this year. We look forward to seeing the magis again in future T.A. productions.
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[The reviewer was given a complimentary ticket to watch the play in exchange for an objective review. Tickets range from P350 to P500. They run til November 15, 2026, at Gonzaga Fine Arts Theater, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City. As of press time, all shows are sold out.]
ABOUT THE REVIEWER:
Gabi Francisco is a classically trained soprano who now performs in the English / Music / Drama classroom. On weekends she soaks in as much art and literature as she can, so she can pass her love for the arts on to her students. She passionately believes in the transformative role of arts education in nation-building. (IG: teacher.gabi.reads )
